Fluffy Little Man
by Beauty4estGreen
Summary: There are few things that make Jack feel better when he's ill. But who doesn't love some downright silliness when they feel young and vulnerable? Mild Kick, some literal fluffiness, friendship, and Kim going head-to- head with Milton in a battle of wits – more or less. Genre says 'Humor' because it's light.


_**Hey! I know that I should be working on 'Of Squares and Jerry Dares,' but chapter 3 is taking a really long time, so I figured that I'd put up this little One-Shot I'd promised.**_

_**It's kind of corny, but I like how it turned out. **_

_**I'd like to put out there that I've been seeing that most of the **_**Kickin' It**_** fanfictions seem to portray Jack as a very extroverted guy, but I find that he's more reserved than most of the fans seem to immediately think. I could give you loads of proof for why I believe Jack is an introvert, but it would take too much time, so PM me if you're curious as to why. **_

_**Anyways, enjoy!**_

"Milton, don't you think you're being just a _little_ ridiculous?"

"It's no more against the laws of nature than the platypus!"

"It's against the laws of physics."

"Two words, Kim: Hollow bones."

"Two words, dude: Six limbs. You know as well as I do that that does not happen in the Earth's ecosystem." Kim turned away from her nerdy friend to get her homework out of her locker.

She heard Milton sigh exasperatedly. "I'm not saying they _do_ exist, I'm saying they _could._"

The blonde girl closed her locker and opened her mouth to say something, but was cut short. "Yo, what up, guys?" The arguing pair looked to see Jerry walking towards them. "Whatcha talkin' about?"

Kim answered, "Charles Darwin here is trying to convince me that it's possible for dragons to exist on this planet."

Milton hooked his thumbs around the straps of his backpack. "And she's insisting that they couldn't fly because they're too heavy and can't have more than four limbs."

"Even if they had hollow bones, the_ muscles_ would make it too heavy! And what about the fire-breathing?"

"Methane gas in the stomach."

"Will you LISTEN to yourself?"

Jerry held up his hands a little. "Guys, guys, guys, I know how it works." His two friends looked at him expectantly. "They do all that stuff because they're magic, _duh._" Kim smacked him on the shoulder. "OW! KIM!"

She shrugged at him. "Don't be such a baby."

Jerry rubbed his shoulder. He looked around. "Hey, does anyone know where Jack is?"

"I haven't seen him all day," Milton replied.

"I'll call him." Just as Kim took out her cell phone, it lit up and started to ring.

"Is it Jack?" Jerry asked.

"His landline." Kim answered. "Hello?"

"_Hi, Kim. This is Jack's mom, Linda Anderson."_

"Oh, hey, Mrs. Anderson." Kim turned and moved away from the guys, who were hovering over her shoulder.

"_Hon, Jack isn't feeling too well today. He has the flu, and his dad is away on a business trip. I'd stay and watch him, but my sister's having her first baby, and I really need to go and help her. Would you mind taking care of Jack while I'm away this weekend, dear?"_

Kim blinked in surprise. "Uh, sure, no problem."

"_I'm sorry for asking you so suddenly, Kim."_

"No, no, it's fine. I'll come over as soon as I can."

"_Thank you so much, honey. Goodbye."_

"Bye." She hung up.

Jerry asked, "What was that all about?"

Kim slung her backpack over her shoulders. "Jack's sick, and I'm going over to his place and take care of him. I want both of you as far away from that house as possible, am I clear?"

They stiffened and had to suppress a salute. "Yes ma'am."

She smiled. "Good. See you on Monday."

Three hours later, Kim sat in Jack's desk chair next to his bed, reading. Jack lay fast asleep. His cheeks were flushed a delicate shade of pink, and his hair was damp with sweat. Eventually she closed her book softly, and knelt next to him. She carefully turned over the towel on his forehead, so that the cool side was against him. Her fingertips brushed a few strands of soft brown hair out of his face. She rested her hand on his cheek for a moment, and then pulled away.

Or, at least, she tried to. As she slid her hand over the covers, she felt it get captured my Jack's. Kim watched as he slowly opened his eyes, and blink blearily at her. "Kim?"

"Yeah, Jack, it's me."

He coughed, and asked, "Where's my mom?"

"She's with your aunt. She's having a baby."

Jack sighed, and said with as much sarcasm as he could muster, "Great timing."

Kim let out a short, sharp laugh. "Yeah, I know." Jack tried to sit up, and Kim pushed him back into his pillows. "Nuh-uh. Not on my watch. Here," she propped up his head with her hand and gave him a sip of water with the other. She set his head and the glass back down gently. "You should go back to sleep."

"Been sleeping all day," Jack complained, rubbing his eyes.

"Alright, then. What about a watching a movie?"

He said through a yawn, "The TV's downstairs, you know." He closed his eyes and settled back down.

"Not a problem." Kim wrapped the blankets more tightly around him and picked him up, hugging him close to her chest. She began to carry him out his room and downstairs. His head rolled into her shoulder and rested there.

"Kim, what're you –" Jack's voice came out muffled.

"Shhhh," she quieted him, and set him on the couch. After rearranging his blankets so that he looked more comfortable, she turned to see shelves upon shelves of stacked up DVDs.

Whistling softly, Kim said, "Your family has quite the collection."

Jack ignored her comment. "Can you put in Kung Fu Panda?"

"One or two?"

"Doesn't matter." Kim nodded and popped in the second movie. She turned on the TV and, making sure it was on low volume, began to settle into the arm chair to watch. Jack's eyes eventually fluttered closed and he fell back asleep, despite his intentions of not doing so.

Twenty minutes later he stirred. Groaning a little, he called out hoarsely, "Kim?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Can you do me a favor, please?"

She paused the film. "What is it?"

He rubbed his eyes, but kept them mostly shut. "Can you bring me Sparky, please?"

Silence.

Kim shook her head a little, trying to clear it. "Sorry, who, Jack?"

Jack sighed impatiently and lifted his head. "Sparky, Sparky, the bear on my bed." He fell back onto the couch cushions. Kim decided that he was _really_ out of it – Jack would never, ever admit to having, let a long wanting, a stuffed animal to her were he in his right mind. Jack had a stuffed bear that he snuggled with when he was sick. Sure, why not?

She shrugged, hit _play _and walked upstairs and into Jack's bedroom. When she'd first arrived she'd already done a fair share of exploring. It was small but well-spaced, with a window that faced the woods behind Seaford. The walls were painted green, to her slight surprise. There was a packed bookcase, a desk covered with half-done homework, a lounge chair, and a low bed with a small side table. The closet door was slightly ajar. Books and shoes were strewn about the floor. The window was opened a little, letting in a light breeze. And sure enough, lying on Jack's partially stripped bed was the cutest stuffed brown bear Kim had ever seen.

Kim picked him up. Although worn and clearly several years old, his fur was still soft enough that most of it slid over her hands like water. She hugged him experimentally, and found that he was just the right size to hold, and had just the right amount of squishiness but resistance to cuddle with. She brought him downstairs and made her way over to Jack, tenderly lifting his arm and positioning Sparky into his chest. Jack reflexively pulled him arm around the bear tightly and hugged him against his body. One eye slowly opened. "You're smiling." The words were soft and groggy.

Kim quickly touched her face. He was right. She smiled wider.

"Yeah, well." Kim leaned close to Jack's face. "The bear's adorable. After all, he's a _fluffy little man. Yes he is, yes he is."_

"Shut up, Kim," he mumbled into his fluffy bear.

She laughed lightly. "C'mere." She lifted his upper body and set herself down on the couch, resting Jack's head in her lap."

"Kim, I don't wanna –"

"Jack, I had the flu last month. I'll be fine." Kim directed her eyes on the TV screen absently stroking her friend's hair out of his eyes.

Five minutes later she was sure Jack had drifted off again. Until –

"Hey, Kimmy?"

Kim ignored the nickname. She flicked her eyes to his face. He was looked up at her with clouded, but nonetheless attentive chocolate-brown eyes. She swore she felt her heart skip a beat for a moment. "Hm?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

She felt his hot fingers lace their way in between hers. "For taking care of me today. For being a good friend. For trying to kick my butt on a regular basis."

She laughed a little. "No problem. Thank you too, for not driving me crazy for once today."

Jack grinned. "No prob. And Kim?"

"Yeah, Jack?"

"I'm hungry."

"Your mom said there was chicken soup in the kitchen."

"Can you get me a bowl, please?"

"Yeah, sure."

_**There was NO trying to resist being corny and sweet with this one. I guess Jack and Kim were a bit OC in this story, but I'll give up a little for some good old-fashioned fluff now and again. **_

_**Even though this is a one-shot, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**_

_**I really hope you guys enjoyed it.**_

_**Love y'all,**_

_**-Reyna S**_


End file.
